Adam Schreck, Efrem Lukatsky, Hannah Arhirova, Roman Hrytsyna, Yesica Fisch, Leo Correa, Vasilisa Stepanenko, Francisco Seco, Alon Bernstein and Sergei Grits delivered competitive all-formats coverage of Russian attacks on at least 10 Ukrainian cities, two days after an explosion on the Kerch Bridge between Crimea and Russia disrupted an important Russian supply line.
When the first missiles hit a few hundred meters from the office on Oct. 10, the team in Kyiv sent an alert to the Slack channel and kicked into action. Even as they rushed to the ground floor to huddle away from windows, they stayed focused on the news, taking calls while hunkering down.
Asia/Pacific News Director Schreck and Ukraine reporter Hannah Arhirova shared a byline for the mainbar story, and Schreck emailed first images of the aftermath, photos that initially led the story on AP News. AP driver Roman Hrytsyna added striking photos in the immediate aftermath of the attack, while Jerusalem-based video journalist Alon Bernstein delivered footage in two strong video edits.
Kyiv staff photographer Lukatsky produced a series of images conveying the level of destruction as well as the human suffering; remote editing by Grits had the photos quickly on the wire and allowed Lukatsky to concentrate on making images. His photos of bloodied residents led the online edition of The New York Times and landed on the front pages of major print publications.
In Zaporizhzhia and Dnipro, video journalists Fisch, and Stepanenko, and photographers Correa and Seco documented similar circumstances under extremely difficult conditions, while editors in London coordinated with the teams across cities, prioritizing video edits.
A medical worker runs past a burning car after a Russian missile attack on Kyiv, Ukraine, Oct. 10, 2022. The Russian attacks on cities across Ukraine are an escalation after months of relative calm.
AP Photo / Roman Hrytsyna
In the aftermath of Russian shelling on Kyiv, Ukraine, an injured woman pauses after treatment of her wounds, Oct. 10, 2022.
AP Photo / Efrem Lukatsky
A pool of blood marks the scene of a casualty of Russian shelling on Kyiv, Ukraine, Oct. 10, 2022. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported explosions in the city’s Shevchenko district, a large area in the center of Kyiv that includes the historic old town as well as several government offices.
AP Photo / Efrem Lukatsky
A member of the rescue service walks past three bodies covered by blankets after a Russian attack on Dnipro, Ukraine, Oct. 10, 2022.
AP Photo / Leo Correa
A man walks past a car shop destroyed in a Russian attack on Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, Oct. 11, 2022.
AP Photo / Leo Correa
A man carries a bucket of water to extinguish a fire in the remains of a car shop destroyed in a Russian attack on Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, Oct. 11, 2022.
AP Photo / Leo Correa
Firefighters and police officers work at a crater on the street after a Russian attack on Dnipro, Ukraine, Oct. 10, 2022.
AP Photo / Leo Correa
A man helps a fellow firefighter climb from a crater as a car burns after a Russian attack on Kyiv, Ukraine, Oct. 10, 2022. Russia unleashed a lethal barrage of strikes against multiple Ukrainian cities, smashing civilian targets including downtown Kyiv.
AP Photo / Roman Hrytsyna
Rescue workers survey the scene of a Russian attack on Kyiv, Ukraine, Oct. 10, 2022.
AP Photo / Adam Schreck
Throughout the weekend following the explosion of the Crimean bridge, and into Russia’s attacks on Monday, AP’s video and user-generated content teams chased strong UGC and handout video, including striking footage of a person running past an explosion on a pedestrian bridge in Kyiv.
AP also had strong handout video from Ukraine’s State Emergency Services of an ambulance arriving as cars burn on a Kyiv street. Several of AP’s videos led major news websites.